2015 San Antonio mayoral election

On May 9, 2015, the city of San Antonio, Texas, held an election to choose the next Mayor of San Antonio. Interim mayor Ivy Taylor ran for election to a full term and narrowly defeated former state senator Leticia Van de Putte in the runoff election on June 13, 2015, to become the first African American elected to the position.

2015 San Antonio mayoral election

← 2013 May 9, 2015 (first round) June 13, 2015 (runoff) 2017 →
Turnout	14.12% (first round)
Candidate Ivy Taylor Leticia Van de Putte Mike Villarreal Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan First round 24,245 28.40% 25,982 30.43% 22,246 26.06% Runoff 50,662 51.70% 47,331 48.30% Eliminated   Candidate Tommy Adkisson Party Nonpartisan First round 8,344 9.77% Runoff Eliminated
Mayor before election Ivy Taylor^[a] Elected Mayor Ivy Taylor

Background

Julian Castro, who was first elected mayor in the 2009 mayoral election, was selected in 2014 to become the next United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Upon that announcement, State Representative Mike Villarreal immediately announced he would run to succeed Castro in the 2015 election.^[1] Once Castro was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the San Antonio City Council selected Ivy Taylor as interim mayor by a third-round unanimous vote becoming the city's first African-American mayor.^[2]

In November 2014, after losing the race to become Lieutenant Governor of Texas, outgoing State Senator Leticia Van de Putte announced she would run for mayor despite earlier reports saying she would not seek the position.^[3] Additionally, in spite of earlier promises that Taylor would not run for a full term in the May election, she ultimately entered the race in February 2015.^[4]

Candidates

After the deadline to file passed, four candidates (Adkisson, Taylor, Van de Putte and Villarreal) were considered the frontrunners in the race, though none of them were able to poll above fifty percent and avoid a runoff.

Declared

• Tommy Adkisson, former Bexar County Commissioner^[5]
• Cynthia Brehm^[6]
• Cynthia Cavazos^[6]
• Douglas Emmett^[6]
• Michael Idrogo^[6]
• Paul Martinez, retired Army major^[7]
• Pogo Mochello Reese^[6]
• Julie Iris Oldham, perennial candidate^[6]
• Gerard Ponce, former Bexar County Court Coordinator and 2014 Republican candidate for Bexar County Judge^[6]
• Rhett Smith, perennial candidate and Green Party activist^[6]
• Ivy Taylor, Mayor of San Antonio and former city councilwoman
• Leticia Van de Putte, former state senator and Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 2014
• Mike Villarreal, former state representative
• Raymond Zavala, community organizer and previous mayoral candidate^[6]

Endorsements

italicized individuals and organizations are post-regular election endorsements

Taylor

• Tommy Adkisson, former Bexar County Commissioner and mayoral candidate^[8]
• Mike Gallagher, current City Councilman, District 10^[9]

Van de Putte

• Annie's List
• Tommy Calvert, Bexar County Commissioner^[10]
• Shirley Gonzales, current City Councilwoman, District 5^[10]
• Bill Greehey, Chairman of the Board of NuStar Energy L.P.^[10]
• Phil Hardberger, Mayor of San Antonio (2005-2009)^[10]
• Gordon Hartman, San Antonio businessman, philanthropist and developer of Morgan's Wonderland^[10]
• Ray Lopez, current City Councilman, District 6^[10]
• Ruth McClendon, State Representative, District 120^[10]
• Jose Menendez, Texas State Senator, District 26^[10]
• Harvey Najim, San Antonio businessman and philanthropist^[10]
• Howard Peak, Mayor of San Antonio (1997-2001)^[10]
• San Antonio Express-News^[11]
• San Antonio Police Officers Association^[10]
• San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association^[10]
• Alan Warrick, current City Councilman, District 2^[10]
• Nelson Wolff, Bexar County Judge and Mayor of San Antonio (1991-1995)^[10]

Villarreal

• Joaquin Castro, United States Congressman, Texas District 20 (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)^[12]
• Philip Cortez, state representative^[12]
• Delicia Herrera, former City Councilwoman, District 6^[12]
• James Howard, Board of Trustees member for San Antonio Independent School District^[12]
• John Folks, former Superintendent of Northside Independent School District (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)^[12]
• Richard Middleton, former Superintendent of Northeast Independent School District^[12]
• Marisa B. Perez, member of Texas State Board of Education^[12]
• Carlos Uresti, Texas State Senator (endorsed Van de Putte in runoff)^[12]

Polling

Poll Source	Date(s) administered	Tommy Adkisson	Ivy Taylor	Leticia Van de Putte	Mike Villarreal	Other/ Undecided
Anderson Williams Research	April 29, 2015	17%	24%	29%	18%	11%

Results

First round

On May 9, 2015, the election for mayor was held. None of the leading candidates received more than 50% of the vote and as a result, a runoff election was scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2015, between the top two vote getters.^[13]

San Antonio Mayor, 2015
Regular election, May 9, 2015

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Leticia Van de Putte	25,982	30.43%
✓	Ivy Taylor	24,245	28.40%
	Mike Villarreal	22,246	26.06%
	Tommy Adkisson	8,344	9.77%
	Paul Martinez	1,877	2.20%
	Cynthia Brehm	1,497	1.75%
	Douglas Emmett	221	0.26%
	Michael "Commander" Idrogo	221	0.26%
	Cynthia Cavazos	201	0.24%
	Raymond Zavala	196	0.23%
	Rhett Smith	111	0.13%
	Julie Iris Oldham (Mama Bexar)	103	0.12%
	Gerard Ponce	97	0.11%
	Pogo Mochello Reese	29	0.03%
Turnout		85,370	11.89%*

* Vote percentage include all of Bexar County with a total of 12,316 either voting in another municipal election or casting no ballot for San Antonio mayor.

Runoff

More people voted in the runoff election for mayor than did in the regular election on May 9, 2015. Taylor found most of her support from conservatives within the city who typically reside on the north side and from her former city council district on the east side. Meanwhile, Van de Putte performed best on the west and south sides of town.^[14]

San Antonio Mayor, 2015
Runoff election June 13, 2015^[15]

Candidate		Votes	%	±
✓	Ivy Taylor	50,662	51.70%
	Leticia Van de Putte	47,331	48.30%
Turnout		97,993	14.12%

Notes

1. Taylor was serving as interim mayor following the resignation of Julian Castro.

References

1. "Villarreal Resigning to Run for San Antonio Mayor". The Texas Tribune. November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
2. Baugh, Josh (July 22, 2014). "Ivy Taylor becomes mayor". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
3. Nicole Perez. . KSAT. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
4. Baugh, Josh (February 16, 2015). "Ivy Taylor to run for mayor of San Antonio, joining a crowded field". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
5. Beltran, Jacob (December 29, 2014). "Adkisson joins 2015 mayoral race". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
6. "Candidate Listing". City of San Antonio. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
7. Garcia, Gilbert (November 8, 2014). "The mayor of Kalsu brings it home to S.A." San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
8. "Mayor draws runoff backing from Adkisson". San Antonio Express-News. May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
9. "District 10 Councilmember Mike Gallagher Endorses Ivy Taylor". Rivard Report. May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
10. "Leticia Van de Putte". Facebook. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
11. "Van de Putte is best choice for mayor". San Antonio Express-News. April 26, 2015. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
12. "Testimonials". Mike Villarreal for Mayor. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
13. "Municipal elections in San Antonio, Texas (2015)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
14. "Taylor Becomes San Antonio's First Elected Black Mayor". Rivard Report. June 14, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
15. "BEXAR COUNTY. TEXAS Unofficial Results RUNOFF ELECTION JUNE 13 . 2015" (PDF). City of San Antonio. Retrieved March 4, 2016.